Stallholder Profile: Spotlight on "Christobel"

Christobel was the winner of our "Best Stall Display" at our Winter 2012 market. Here we find out what goes on behind the scenes.

The Christobel stall at Made on the Left market

Christine Lovitt of Christobel was born in Dublin, Ireland and migrated to Perth in 1988 with her husband and three small children. She has worked as a lawyer since arriving in Perth and only when she changed to part-time hours in 2007 did she find the time to pursue more creative activities.

What inspires you to create?

Sometimes an idea will just come to me – other times I will see something when I am out and about which will give me an idea.

What materials do you use? 

Almost everything I use is pre-loved. I make paper sculptures out of old books, sheet music and atlases, journals using old books covers, jewellery using old bakelite buckles and buttons, cushions out of vintage leather and any other treasures that I pick up from time to time which can be put to another use.

What steps do you take to prepare for a market? 

First I clear my workspace, then I think about what time of year my next market is going to be and what seasonal things I can make. Then I look at what new treasures I have collected and work out what to do with them. Because I am always making things, one market kind of rolls into the next fairly seamlessly without having to say up all night making enough stock.

What’s your number one market tip? 

Practice setting up your stall at home beforehand so that you can perfect the overall appearance and not be stressed on the day. How your stall looks can make a big difference to how shoppers perceive your products.

What is your favourite part of the creative process? 

Experimenting with new ideas. For every new thing that appears on my stall there will have been an equal number that didn’t work out and ended up in the bin. I love scouring church fetes, Sunday markets and op-shops for old treasures and then the challenge of making something new with them.

What’s been your most popular item or line to date? 

My paper sculptures and my tiny plants in vintage teacups.

What is the most exciting thing that has come out of selling your designs through markets? 

The most exciting thing was getting an order from overseas for some of my paper sculptures which had appeared in a Sydney Morning Herald article on craft markets.

What advice would you give someone who wants to sell their crafts? 

Think about your brand and where it fits in the marketplace, then just get out there and apply for stalls at markets like Made On The Left. It is the best way to test your ideas and to get feedback.

What goals do you have in store for the future? 
Ultimately I would love to have my own studio space from which I could sell my pieces. My husband loves finding and restoring old furniture and both my daughters are very creative so it could be a family venture!

Thanks Christine!
xx MOTL team